BC-bound McGlynn an unknown no longer

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in the
June 2011 issue of New England Hockey Journal.

The Greater Boston hockey community is fairly well interwoven.
It’s not a large area geographically, so chances are —
as players grow up and play on various regional teams, attend camps
and participate in summer tournaments — the higher-end
players have usually crossed paths somewhere.

At the least, if they don’t know you, they certainly know
who you are.

So consider this question posed to Conor McGlynn at the U.S.
National Team Development Program Top 40 camp in March by some Bay
State compadres: “Are you the other Mass. kid from Hingham?
We didn’t know who you were.”

Remember, this is at a camp for what those handing out the
invitations consider to be the top 40 1995-born American hockey
players. Not exactly a group that goes unnoticed.

But McGlynn had kept a relatively low profile because throughout
his school-aged life, he and his family have lived in Oakville,
Ontario, a suburb of Toronto, the by-product of a business
opportunity.

Playing hockey, lacking a Boston accent and possessing a
Canadian one, McGlynn fits in north of the border, but he keeps his
red-white-and-blue roots strong. They have become even stronger
with his recent commitment to Boston College.

“He’s definitely American,” Oakville Rangers
midget assistant coach Tony George said. “He wears his USA
jersey. He takes a lot of good-natured ribbing from the Canadian
kids. He’s always proud of where he’s from. During
those Olympics, it’s fun to have him on the team.”

The McGlynns are regularly in Hingham, Mass.; Franklin, Mass.;
and Narragansett, R.I., visiting family. While it has been reported
that McGlynn is a dual citizen, he is an American citizen only,
said his father, Chris McGlynn.

In his past two seasons with the Oakville Rangers AAA Bantam
Majors and Midget Minors, the 6-foot-2, 193-pound left-shot center
has made some people take notice. He posted nearly-identical
seasons of 35 goals and 80 points. Last fall, he was invited to the
Collegiate Hockey Summit organized by Paul Kelly (Newton Highlands,
Mass.) and College Hockey, Inc. which got the ball rolling on the
commitment to Boston College.

In March, McGlynn participated in the top 40 camp. In April, the
Sioux City Musketeers selected him in the fourth round, 57th
overall, of the USHL Futures Draft. Last month, the Kingston
Frontenacs chose him in the sixth round of the Ontario Hockey
League Priority Selection, a relatively high pick for a U.S. player
who has already made a college commitment.

This month, he is planning on attending the USA Hockey Select 16
Player Development Camp in Rochester, N.Y., as well as Sioux City
Musketeers camp.

Next season, he is slated to fill one of the two roster spots
for ’95-born players for the Oakville Blades in the Ontario
Junior Hockey League, which is considered Tier 2 or Junior A, a
step below major junior, but the highest rung in Canada to preserve
NCAA eligibility.

“I coached him in his first year of hockey nine years ago,
and I’ve coached him the last two years,” George said.
“I’ve seen him grow from a little kid with natural
talent to a big horse playing now.”

McGlynn can move and has great playmaking skills, which make him
the quarterback of the power play, George said. He likened McGlynn
to a skilled player with size like Joe Thornton rather than someone
whose size helps make him a great player. Not that McGlynn
won’t battle along the wall, but he’s at his best in
creating offense.

“He’s growing into his big body,” George said.
“You expect him to be a certain kind of player; he’s
not there yet. He has all the talent. He’s always outside
practicing. He doesn’t ask for anything special like some
kids who have some success. He’s been the hardest-working kid
in practice for two years.”

Now the watch is on for the tug-of-war that often happens
between major junior and NCAA, especially for a player in the
Canadian system. McGlynn reports it already has started. He said
that teams were informed of his commitment to BC.

McGlynn credits former BC captain Matt Price, who spent his
rookie pro season in the ECHL with the Las Vegas Wranglers.

“He just had all good things to say about the school, the
coaches, the atmosphere,” McGlynn said. “If he could go
back, he wouldn’t do anything different. It was great talking
to him and made me really happy for my decision.”